Pumpkin Pie (Easy Classic With Canned Pumpkin)

What Makes This Recipe Work

Par-baking the crust sets the pastry before the wet filling hits it, which is the simplest way to avoid a soggy bottom. Baking the custard at a moderate 350°F and pulling it while the center still wobbles slightly lets it finish setting as it cools, so the surface stays smooth instead of cracking.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie (Easy Classic With Canned Pumpkin)

• 1 unbaked 9-inch single pie crust, chilled
• 1 15 oz (425 g) can pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

How to Make Pumpkin Pie (Easy Classic With Canned Pumpkin)

1. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower third. Line the chilled crust with parchment and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, lift out the weights and parchment, and bake 5 to 7 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry and just starts to color. Set the crust aside and lower the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until smooth and uniform. Add the cream and vanilla and whisk just until combined, then stop; overbeating whips in air that rises into bubbles and cracks the surface.
3. Pour the filling into the warm, par-baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pie plate on the counter a few times to release trapped air bubbles.
4. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the outer 2 inches of filling are set and the center still wobbles gently when you nudge the pan. A thermometer poked into the center should read about 175°F.
5. Check doneness with a thin knife inserted an inch from the edge: it should come out nearly clean. The center will look slightly loose but will firm up as it cools, so do not bake it until the whole surface is stiff.
6. Cool the pie on a wire rack for 2 hours, then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight so the filling finishes setting and slices into clean wedges.
7. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Pie (Easy Classic With Canned Pumpkin)

• Let the eggs and cream sit out 30 minutes before mixing; room-temperature ingredients blend into a smoother custard.
• To reduce cracking, cool the pie in the switched-off oven with the door cracked for 15 minutes before moving it to a rack.
• Shield the crust rim with a pie shield or foil strips if it browns faster than the filling sets.

Variations and Substitutions

• For the evaporated-milk version many cooks know best, use the Libby's Pumpkin Pie, which swaps in a can of evaporated milk for a slightly lighter custard.
• For a denser, sweeter filling, try the Pumpkin Pie With Sweetened Condensed Milk, where condensed milk replaces the sugar and part of the dairy.
• To build the pie from roasted squash instead of a can, follow the Fresh Pumpkin Pie for the roast-and-puree steps and the fresh pumpkin pie recipe from scratch technique.
• Swap the single crust for a crushed gingersnap or graham cracker crust, or cut the sugar to 1/2 cup for a less sweet pie.

How to Store and Reheat

• Cover and refrigerate leftover pie up to 4 days; the egg-and-dairy custard is perishable and should not sit out for more than 2 hours.
• To freeze, wrap the pie or individual slices tightly and store up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The How Long Does Pumpkin Pie Last guide has full timing.

Pumpkin Pie (Easy Classic With Canned Pumpkin) FAQ